Sundance: Inspirational ‘Maya Angelou And Still I Rise’ Documentary Debuts

Finally! For the first time, a documentary has been put together that chronicles the life of the late great Maya Angelou. The film took four years to put together and now ‘Maya Angelou And Still I Rise’ is making its Sundance Film Festival debut.

Co-Director Rita Coburn Whack explains that the film is the “First documentary done on her life story, and it really shows her ability to live history, participated in it and documented it herself,” and promises “there are a lot of things in the film that people will be surprised about,” when it comes to Maya Angelou‘s 86 years of life. She added that throughout the four years of working on the project, they gathered over 20 interviews, including three with the late author, poet and civil rights activist before her May 2014 passing. They also talked to both President Bill Clinton and Hillary, as well as close friends of Maya like Oprah Winfrey and Common.

Maya’s own grandson Colin Johnson took part in the film and recalled that, “She was the type of grandmother who always had your favorite dish ready for you in the kitchen whenever you came to her house.” Aww what a sweet recollection! “She made curry goat and curry chicken and I literally never eat it anywhere else because it was so amazing at her house. She was an amazing chef, many people don’t know that about her.”

Colin noted that when his dad — Maya’s son — first saw the documentary he “turned to me and said he was happy” and that Rita had seen him both cry and laugh, and he hoped that the audience has the same amazing feelings to it. It sounds incredible!

HollywoodLifers, are you interested in the life and legacy of Maya Angelou?